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Have you ever experienced stage fright?


Dendy Jarrett

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Not into pressure. I don't seek it out and try to ignore it - a skill I learned in pool rooms. Probably if it was a solo thing of my own material I'd get the butterflies but being a drummer, it's mostly a competence thing and while I've had many incompetent moments, I haven't really gave a **** . As long as I keep improving, I'm happy.

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I've been had stage freight more than once. The first time I was a playing at a med size theater, which seated about 1500 people.

 

I took a look at the stage during our sound check and was this is gonna be cool. I had a nice stereo monitor mix, saw the lights and we sounded great.

 

They take me back stage, and when it's time to come out everything is pitch black. They guide you out with flashlight across the stage. Grab my trusty never fail me telecaster, and strum a chord. Bong, I break a string. I ended up grabbing my strat. Count off 1,2,3 and the two flood light hit me like like it was a message from God himself. I was like for 15 seconds and raccoon on highway 87 shaking a bit to say the least, and then I figure I'm gonna have to start singing here in a second. The temp from the flood light bring the stage up from about 60 degrees to about 110 degrees. It's all a bit scary to say the least.

 

When the theater lights are all on and the flood lights are shining, you can only see maybe the first two rows of people. After I make it past the first song with the flood light out, I look and maybe there's 100 people in the theater. I was like what a gyp man, there's nobody here .l Oh yeah I'm the warm up act.

 

I still get a bit nerves and shaky on the first song or two.

 

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Nervousness or the jitters? oh yes, all the time, my normal remedy is to to just stare at my hats or one of my drums and watch my stick tips as I focus on the time or the feel of the music. To get lost in the music as it were. BUT I had bad anxiety during tests at college and I don't know if I could take it if music or playing drums were my finals?? That would be too much! In the back of my mind, I remind myself that music and concerts are to have fun! PLUS 9 times out of 10, when I'm watching a concert, I really don't hear the mistakes and I'm just trying to enjoy myself and so I see others doing the same?? LOL

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I remember on my very first gig at 11 years old, the mallet fell off of my bassdrum beater and rolled across the stage. The bassist had to pick it up and give it back to me. I tried to screw it back on with one hand while keeping time with the other hand.

 

My only fear is of equipment mishaps. Playing in front of large crowds does not bother me.

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Ive experienced similar equipment fails. One time during a major show (opening for Wynonna Judd) in front of a LOT of folks, my iPhone (which had my click on it with set list) went flying. I had it sitting on a floor tom case next to me and my in-ears cable got tangle. Can you say bring on the panic! . Luckily another drummer from the act before us, took care of me. I had to put on extra deodorant after that show!

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As a late teenager playing in an up and coming cult band I could never play a gig without at least half a bottle of wine down my throat.i had self confidence issues like all teenagers so stage fright was an issue. Winding the clock forward 30 years and things are different.in my career since my early music career died out I joined the army & trained as an instructor before becoming an officer. After leaving the services I worked in military design and manufacturing which lead to TV interviews, presenting papers at conferences plus running countless technical trainings sessions. Today I only get occasional slight discomfort if I am not, in my opinion, well prepared. I also never drink before playing anymore.

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